Margate (Tas.)

Population growth drivers in Margate are slightly above average based on AreaSearch's ranking of recent, and medium term trends

Based on analysis of ABS population updates for the broader area, and new addresses validated by AreaSearch since the Census, Margate's population is estimated at around 4,358 as of May 2026. This reflects an increase of 119 people (2.8%) since the 2021 Census, which reported a population of 4,239 people. The change is inferred from the resident population of 4,350 estimated by AreaSearch following examination of the latest ERP data release by the ABS in June 2025 and an additional 43 validated new addresses since the Census date. This level of population equates to a density ratio of 111 persons per square kilometer. Margate's 2.8% growth since census positions it within 1.1 percentage points of the SA4 region (3.9%), demonstrating competitive growth fundamentals. Population growth for the suburb was primarily driven by overseas migration that contributed approximately 57.99999999999999% of overall population gains during recent periods.

AreaSearch is adopting ABS/Geoscience Australia projections for each SA2 area, as released in 2024 with 2022 as the base year. For any SA2 areas not covered by this data, and to estimate growth by age group in the years post-2032, the Tasmania State Government's Regional/LGA projections are adopted, released in 2022 with 2021 as the base year, with adjustments made employing a method of weighted aggregation of population growth from LGA to SA2 levels. Anticipating future population dynamics, a population increase just below the median of national areas is expected for Margate (Tas.), with the suburb expected to expand by 168 persons to 2041 based on aggregated SA2-level projections, reflecting an increase of 3.7% in total over the 16 years.

Residential development activity is lower than average in Margate according to AreaSearch's national comparison of local real estate markets

Margate experienced around 12 dwelling approvals per year based on AreaSearch analysis. Between FY-21 and FY-25, approximately 61 homes were approved, with a further 9 approved in FY-26. Each dwelling accommodates an average of 2.1 new residents annually over the past five financial years.

The average construction cost for these dwellings is $452,000, indicating a focus on premium market segments. In FY-26, Margate has registered $2.6 million in commercial approvals. Compared to Greater Hobart, Margate records about 68% of the building activity per person and ranks at the 39th percentile nationally, suggesting constrained buyer choice. All new construction since FY-21 has been detached houses, maintaining the area's low density nature with approximately 434 people per dwelling approval.

Future projections estimate Margate will add 160 residents by 2041, with current development rates comfortably meeting demand and supporting potential growth beyond current population projections.

Margate has limited levels of nearby infrastructure activity, ranking in the 17thth percentile nationally

Changes to local infrastructure significantly influence an area's performance. AreaSearch has identified four projects likely impacting the area: Margate Main Street Masterplan (2024-2044), Margate to Huntingfield Shared Pathway, Huntingfield Land Release, and Spring Farm Village. Details about these key projects are provided below.

Professional plan users can use the search below to filter and access additional projects.

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Employment conditions in Margate demonstrate strong performance, ranking among the top 35% of areas assessed nationally

Margate has a well-educated workforce with essential services sectors well represented. The unemployment rate is 2.8%, according to AreaSearch's aggregation of statistical area data. As of December 2025, there are 2,255 residents employed, and the unemployment rate is 1.2% lower than Greater Hobart's rate of 4.0%.

Workforce participation is 66.6%, compared to Greater Hobart's 63.7%. Census responses show that 11.9% of residents work from home, though Covid-19 lockdown impacts should be considered. Leading employment industries are health care & social assistance, construction, and education & training. Margate has a strong specialization in construction, with an employment share 1.4 times the regional level.

However, health care & social assistance shows lower representation at 14.6% compared to the regional average of 17.3%. The predominantly residential area appears to offer limited local employment opportunities, as indicated by the count of Census working population versus resident population. Over the 12 months to December 2025, labour force levels decreased by 0.3%, and employment declined by 0.6%, resulting in an unemployment rate rise of 0.2 percentage points. In contrast, Greater Hobart experienced employment growth of 0.1% and a labour force decline of 0.1%, with a 0.2 percentage point drop in unemployment. Jobs and Skills Australia's national employment forecasts from May-25 offer insight into potential future demand within Margate. These projections estimate that national employment will expand by 6.6% over five years and 13.7% over ten years, with varying growth rates between industry sectors. Applying these industry-specific projections to Margate's employment mix suggests local employment should increase by 6.5% over five years and 13.4% over ten years, though this is a simple weighting extrapolation for illustrative purposes and does not account for localized population projections.

Income levels align closely with national averages, indicating typical economic conditions for Australian communities according to AreaSearch analysis

Margate suburb has a median taxpayer income of $53,491 and an average income of $82,879 based on the latest postcode level ATO data aggregated by AreaSearch for financial year 2023. This is among the highest in Australia, contrasting with Greater Hobart's median income of $54,577 and average income of $65,190. By March 2026, current estimates would be approximately $59,348 (median) and $91,954 (average), based on a Wage Price Index growth of 10.95% since financial year 2023. According to the 2021 Census, household, family and personal incomes in Margate cluster around the 56th percentile nationally. The income band of $1,500 - 2,999 captures 38.3% of the community (1,669 individuals), aligning with the metropolitan region where this cohort represents 32.2%. After housing costs, residents retain 87.0% of their income, reflecting strong purchasing power and the area's SEIFA income ranking places it in the 6th decile.

Margate is characterized by a predominantly suburban housing profile, with above-average rates of outright home ownership

Margate's latest Census showed 97.9% houses and 2.1% other dwellings, compared to Hobart metro's 85.3% houses and 14.7% other dwellings. Home ownership in Margate was 37.9%, with mortgaged dwellings at 46.4% and rented ones at 15.8%. The median monthly mortgage repayment was $1,690, higher than Hobart metro's average of $1,517. Median weekly rent in Margate was $400, compared to Hobart metro's $350. Nationally, Margate's mortgage repayments were lower than the Australian average of $1,863, while rents exceeded the national figure of $375.

Margate features high concentrations of family households, with a higher-than-average median household size

Family households account for 81.2% of all households, consisting of 41.1% couples with children, 27.9% couples without children, and 11.2% single parent families. Non-family households constitute the remaining 18.8%, with lone person households at 17.6% and group households comprising 1.0%. The median household size is 2.8 people, which is larger than the Greater Hobart average of 2.4.

Margate shows strong educational performance, ranking in the upper quartile nationally when assessed across multiple qualification and achievement indicators

Margate's residents aged 15+ with university degrees (28.6%) fall short of the SA3 area average (37.3%). The most common qualification is a bachelor degree (18.4%), followed by postgraduate qualifications (6.7%) and graduate diplomas (3.5%). Trade and technical skills are prevalent, with 37.6% holding vocational credentials: advanced diplomas at 11.4% and certificates at 26.2%. Educational participation is high, with 32.0% currently enrolled in formal education.

This includes primary education (13.2%), secondary education (8.4%), and tertiary education (4.1%).

Transport servicing is good compared to other areas nationally based on assessment of service frequency, route connectivity and accessibility

Margate has 14 operational public transport stops, all offering bus services. These stops are served by 61 unique routes, collectively facilitating 4816 weekly passenger trips. Transport accessibility is considered limited, with residents typically residing 897 meters from the nearest stop. As a predominantly residential area, most commuters travel outward. Cars remain the primary mode of transport, used by 91% of residents. Vehicle ownership averages 1.9 per dwelling, exceeding the regional average.

According to the 2021 Census, only 11.9% of residents work from home, which may be influenced by COVID-19 conditions. Service frequency across all routes averages 688 trips daily, equating to approximately 344 weekly trips per individual stop.

Margate's residents are healthier than average in comparison to broader Australia with a fairly standard level of common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts

Health data for Margate shows positive outcomes relative to national benchmarks. Mortality rates and health conditions are broadly similar to national averages, with common health conditions seen across both young and old age cohorts.

Private health cover is exceptionally high at approximately 60% of the total population (2,614 people), compared to 51.7% across Greater Hobart. The most common medical conditions are mental health issues and arthritis, impacting 9.6 and 9.0% of residents respectively. 68.4% of residents declare themselves completely clear of medical ailments, compared to 65.5% across Greater Hobart. Working-age residents show an above-average prevalence of chronic health conditions. The area has 18.3% of residents aged 65 and over (797 people), lower than the 20.0% in Greater Hobart. Health outcomes among seniors are particularly strong, with national rankings even higher than the general population.

Margate is considerably less culturally diverse than average when assessed alongside AreaSearch's national rankings for language and cultural background related metrics

Margate's cultural diversity was found to be below average, with 85.5% of its population born in Australia, 93.4% being citizens, and 95.3% speaking English only at home. Christianity was the predominant religion in Margate, comprising 42.1% of people. However, Judaism was not represented in Margate's population, compared to 0.1% across Greater Hobart.

The top three ancestry groups were English (31.1%), Australian (30.5%), and Irish (8.1%). Notably, Dutch heritage was overrepresented at 4.6%, compared to the regional average of 1.5%. Similarly, Australian Aboriginal heritage was overrepresented at 4.6% (vs 3.0%) and South Australian heritage was higher at 0.5% (vs 0.2%).

Margate's population is slightly younger than the national pattern

The median age in Margate is 37 years, which is lower than Greater Hobart's average of 39 years but close to the national average of 38 years. Compared to Greater Hobart, Margate has a notably higher proportion of individuals aged 5-14 (14.6% locally) and a lower proportion of those aged 25-34 (10.3%). Post-2021 Census data shows the 75 to 84 age group grew from 5.2% to 6.5%, while the 15 to 24 cohort increased from 11.4% to 12.7%. Conversely, the 5 to 14 cohort declined from 16.3% to 14.6% and the 25 to 34 group dropped from 11.4% to 10.3%. Population forecasts for Margate indicate substantial demographic changes by 2041. The 45 to 54 age group is projected to grow by 45%, reaching 786 people from 540. However, both the 0 to 4 and 65 to 74 age groups are expected to have reduced numbers.